1.Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward surgical retractor systems and, more specifically, to a reconfigurable, self-retaining surgical retractor system.
2. Description of Related Art
It has proven to be desirable in many surgical procedures to provide means to maintain the surgical incision in an open or exposed condition. Several tissue retraction systems have been developed over the years in response to the need for a means to maintain tissue in out of the way of the surgeon. Typically, such systems include a frame or support portion and a tissue-engaging portion.
The frame is typically a rigid, one-piece construction, and often is contoured or designed to fit a specific portion of the human body. As such, conventional frames are not adapted for reconfiguration to different shapes. Surgical frames of this type are illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,785,649; 5,769,783; 4,430,991, 3,070,088; and 2,701,562, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein in their entireties.
Other surgical frames have portions that are movable relative to one another. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 32,021 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,791, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein in their entireties. Each of these frames has a first portion and a second portion that are in engagement with each other and pivotally secured to one another by means of a pair of pivot joints. Unfortunately, the pivotal connection is not easily adjusted, and is an inconvenient means to alter the orientation of the frame portions relative to each other.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a surgical frame that is easily reconfigurable and that will retain its shape once reconfigured. There further exists a need in the art for a surgical frame that is rigid and stable while being easily adjusted to the infinite configurations that may be encountered in various surgical applications.